Terme di Caracalla

The Terme di Caracalla, also known as the Baths of Caracalla, were public baths built in Rome between 212 and 216 by Emperor Caracalla of the Roman Empire.

History
Built between 212 and 216 during the reign of Emperor Caracalla, these public baths remained in use until the mid-6th century. The process of bathing was an elaborate one. A typical Roman male began in th hot bath, moved to a tepid bath, jumped into cold water, and then finished in an outdoor pool. Caracalla had more than just baths, the larger leisure complex housed an extensive library with equal amounts of Greek and Latin text as well as an extensive gymnasium. In 537, the baths were sacked by the Goths, and had their hydraulic instillations destroyed, rendering them useless.